Bitch's First Season

misterjinglejay

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Right, she's nearly 9 months old and 16 days ago, she was really swollen, then some blood. We were waiting for it to happen so were watching closely, but she keeps herself so clean!

It all seems to be going according to plan so far, and she's being really good - not off food, or overly aggressive (she's a malamute).

Now, my question is this; in theory she should be winding down, slowly, but today both my dogs, entire (don't panic, they are NEVER left alone), are more interested in her than ever. She isn't having any of it - good girl!

I've bred dogs before, and by now they were coming out of season.

Is this normal :D
 
Some bitchs have longer seasons than others plus as you likely know the end of a season is the time when they are often most receptive to being bred......or bred again as I seen happen in a lovely Show dog mated to an approved sire...then had it on with a mongrel that jumped into the garden later that week! The bloody discharge clears up before the season is complete.

We tend say a 3 week rule,so 21 days from the first sign of blood as a general warning time for the season but each dog is an individual.
Your girl may be just one of those who have a longer season particularly if shes not having any of it from the boys so far. Id be watching them like a hawk if shes shown no interest as she could be receptive anytime now.
She sounds normal but if you are worried get your vet to check her. There a few differnt ways of checking where in a season a bitch is... Taking a vaginal swab and looking at the cells under a microscope can usually give a very good indication of which part of the season she is in and put your mind at rest if your worried.
 
First seasons are often a bit erratic, they sometimes go off colour then come back in again for a few days, you need to make sure she isn't left with the males for a good while yet. While the standard duration of seasons is 21 days, and the normal pattern is colour paling off around 10 to 12 days and being ready to mate around the same time, many bitches haven't read the book. I have had a bitch mate at 25 days, and have a litter. Evie was mated on day 12 and 14 which is when swabs showed she was ready, she was still bleeding quite heavily at this stage so if Ihad waited for this to stop I may well have missed her.
 
Thanks for the help, and yes, as I said they are separated at night and never unattended.

We do plan to breed from her in the far future, but not with her brother, who we have or our samoyed, whose been used as a stud dog before, so knows whats going on.

Can't wait for her to be safe, as this is difficult for all of us - in fact she's finding it the easiest out of us all :D Little bitch!
 
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